Look out for Lead

What you can do if you live in a PARENTS home built before 1978 What you should know The lead laws for homes built before 1978 LOOK OUT Have your child tested for lead 1 If you have renovation work done on your Most children with lead poisoning don't look home, the contractor doing the work must sick. The only way to know if a child is lead be a certified lead-safe renovator. You FOR LEAD poisoned is to have a blood test. should receive the pamphlet, Renovate Right, from the contractor before work begins. You can ask your clinic or doctor to give your WasWhy your you should house care or apartment about lead child a blood test for lead, or your local health If you are buying an older home, the owner Built before 1978? department can assist you. If the lead level is or realtor must tell you if they know of any high, your child will need more tests to make lead hazards in the home. They must give sure the lead level is coming down. you the U.S. government booklet, Protect Do you have children Your Family From Lead in Your Home. Under the age of 6? If you rent your home: Look out for lead in your home 2 ✓ Your landlord must tell you if the If your home was built before 1978, it most property has known lead hazards before likely has lead paint. If your home was built you sign a lease. Under federal law, before 1950, the paint likely contains more lead. property owners must provide you with a Lead paint is a danger to your child if the paint copy of the booklet, Protect Your Family is chipping, peeling, cracking or chalking. From Lead in Your Home, and provide Lead can sometimes be found in vinyl mini- you with the results of any lead tests that blinds, soil, water, hobby supplies, jewelry, have been done on the property. toys, dishes and pottery. ✓ It is against the law for your landlord to Look inside this pamphlet to see the most com- evict, harass, or threaten you because of Why you should care about lead mon areas where lead can be found. To protect complaints made about a housing Many homes and apartments built before your child, follow the steps described inside. condition such as lead. 1978 have lead paint or varnish on the walls, woodwork, windows and floors. In homes Contact your health department for more infor- built before 1950 there is a greater chance the mation on how to test your home for lead. If paint contains lead. Lead can harm children. you find lead, steps will need to be taken right For more information away to prevent further problems. Children under six years old can easily be Call your health department or the poisoned by dust or chips from lead paint. If Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning they play near windows and other places with Prevention Program at 608-266-5817. worn-out or damaged paint, they can get lead Clean up the lead! 3 Or visit our website: dhs.wi.gov/lead. dust on their fingers and toys. Once you know where the lead is, you can do When they swallow lead dust it can cause something about it. You don't have to solve Wisconsin illness. It can also cause problems with this problem by yourself. Contact your health Department of Health Services learning, behavior, and health that can affect department for more information on additional Division of Public Health them their entire life. Even small amounts of steps to clean up lead and resources for financial Bureau of Environmental and Occupa- tional Hea lth lead can be harmful. assistance to complete the work. P-44535A (01/2016)

P A R E N T S LOOK OUT FOR LEAD

Lead cleaning tips Protect your child Regular cleaning can help keep lead Do not dry scrape, power in your home at low levels. Focus on sand, or burn old lead paint. areas where your child spends the These methods can cause most time. lead hazards. Mist surfaces Vacuum carpets weekly to with water as you scrape flaking paint control lead dust, or remove to keep dust down. the carpets. If you can, use a Keep your child out of vacuum with a HEPA filter bare soil unless you have to clean up lead dust and it tested and know it is paint chips. Your health safe. department may know where you can Keep children away from find one to loan or borrow. peeling paint. Put furni- Weekly use a wet rag, wet ture in front to block the mop, or Swiffer to clean area, or cover it with contact paper, lead dust and paint chips duct tape, or cardboard. from bare or vinyl flooring. Wash your child’s hands Wash used rags/mops sepa- after play and before rately from other laundry or throw eating, napping, or bed- them away. time. Use paper towels with soap Some foods can help keep lead and warm water to wash out of the body, especially dust and paint chips from foods high in calcium and iron. window wells, sills, and This includes milk, cheese, yo- woodwork weekly. Toss out used gurt, leafy vegetables, chicken, paper towels; rinse surfaces well. turkey, raisins, beans, citrus fruits, If someone in your home bell peppers, kiwi, berries, tomatoes, works with lead, have peas, and papaya. them shower and change Only cook and drink water into clean clothes and from the cold water tap. shoes before entering the Run water for a couple of car or your home. If they don’t, they can expose your child to lead dust. minutes before using. Wash these clothes separately from If mini-blinds in windows are the rest of the family's clothes. In not marked “lead-free,” addition, any items used on the replace them with other jobsite, such as lunch coolers or tool window coverings. boxes, should be kept in the trunk.